Skip to Content

Hillary's Music Studio

Job opportunities

Hillary's Music Studio

Job opportunities

Job opportunities

Jam Band Class

Jan 21

Written by Hillary LeFay

Check out the new class for teens and adults to learn to jam and improvise!

Summer Scheduling

Holiday Week Survey!

The group classes are designed so that you can play at any level. You can push yourself individually to play something that might be just beyond your grasp. The pressure of playing it in a group is a wonderful motivator. I also want it to feel as though you can show up after a busy week with barely any practice, and still enjoy yourself while learning.

Why take a group class in addition to your private lessons?

Having been trained classically, I always strove to play precisely what my music told me to do. This is helpful in many ways: attention to meticulousness, competition, and emphasis on consistency. However, as I have grown as a musician, artist and teacher, I have found so much more in improvisation or winging it. Dealing with a group playing too fast, too slow, or a different key. This is where I believe the art of music truly shows it's beauty. It is not in the perfection of execution that we should feel accomplished as musicians, but instead the flexibility and knowledge to play with an ever changing situation.

As anyone who has practiced for hours knows, everything changes when you are in front of other people. It is frustrating when you are in a different setting and cannot play something you have spent hours working on privately. But, part of the learning process is knowing how to handle the situation. If your instrument sabotages you with bad tuning, you can hold back, follow along or just turn it into a percussion instrument. If you can't play your part as fast as the group, try to find the simplified chords in the situation and keep playing along. You lose your place in the music, but are able to vamp until you get your bearings. Knowing that you have strategies to deal with issues gives you confidence, which will improve all of your playing. Experiences in group classes have produced these skills that are so important for both solo and group performances.

GROUP CLASSES

Jam Band Class

Jamming is easier than most people think. Plus, it is a really fun way to play music. I have taught this style of playing for many years, and I love being able to work with a group with varying experience, ability, and knowledge. You can be relatively new to music or have decades of playing under your belt.

As long as you have a basic working knowledge of your instrument, you will love this group. Knowing at least ten chords and/or having basic note reading skills is the only requirement.

We will play music that is generally chosen and agreed upon by the group. I write arrangements for the group based on instruments and ability. I love most genres and the classes lean towards rock or bluegrass, but I am open to anything the group is excited to learn!

There are many performance opportunities, we go to open mics, festivals, nursing homes and have recitals. Performances are never required but If you are nervous about playing in front of others, and want to get more comfortable, this is a good way to do so.

Your time commitment is the hour class weekly. You can practice as much or as little as your life allows. The only goal is to have fun and learn.

What you will learn:

How and why chords are related to each other

Finding chords in arpeggio form (one note at a time)

How to improvise

The 12 bar blues

Rhythms and strum patterns

How to “jump in” with a group who is already playing

Confidence in your instrument

Listening skills

This fun instrument based class is for kids ages 7-11. They will each have a ukulele to start with (and borrow for the semester!) to learn to strum basic chords and sing along to. No need for any music experience, but If they already play an instrument, they can enjoy learning to play it in a group setting. If they don't play anything (yet!) this is a great way to get familiar with a lot of options. As the semester moves on, students will also have the opportunity to try different instruments: piano, guitar, violin, drums, cello, and more!

One of the purposes of this class is for students to learn to listen to each other as they create music. They also will learn about rhythm, note reading and music terminology. Students will choose the songs we play and have a ton of fun playing them together!

Fall 2026 Semester runs from October 1-December 17th. There will be a few (optional) holiday performances at nursing homes in December.

Class is Thursdays from 6:15-7 at Hillary’s Music and Art House at 63 N 3rd Ave Clarion. My Australian Shepherd, Ollie, and cat, Paul, are always there to help, so hopefully allergies are not a problem.

Tuition is either 150 total, or 3 monthly payments of 70. To register, either pay the first month (October) or the fall in full.

Private Band Instruction

Bring your friends together to make a band! I will help everyone learn their instruments while the group chooses their songs for the summer. There are many performance opportunities, but none are required. This is an option for groups of 4 -6, any age.

To set this up, each member registers by paying here, then we will come up with the ideal practice times for the members of your band!

Private Lessons

are available for learning piano, guitar, voice, ukulele, violin, cello, bass guitar and performance coaching.

Lessons are scheduled on a weekly basis, most students start with 30 minute lessons but 45 minute lessons are available.

There is often a waiting list for private lessons, so email me to check on availability. hillarysmusicclarion@gmail.com